Libro Blanco Vol I en Ingles

More documents

Recommendations

Info

TOWARDS A NATIONAL INNOVATION STRATEGY FOR COMPETITIVENESSVOLUME 1Thus, this Council indicates that one of the great tasks for the next few years will be increasing theproductivity of companies through a major endeavour of technological dissemination, adaptation and adoptionwhich will allow the best production practices present in Chile and the world to be incorporated and it offersthem the possibility of joining the field of innovation.From this viewpoint, the first large problem in this area is that these companies (and some large onesalso) do not have the capacity to search for new technologies. They are not aware that they do not know, and itis therefore impossible to adopt or adapt new technologies, among these there are precisely those that teachhow to innovate 48 .Nevertheless, if this obstacle is overcome, the problems will persist, because the acquisition of “hard”technology (machinery) sometimes entails a much larger investment in “soft” technology (knowledge withrespect to the use of machines), for which there is no funding since it is an intangible asset. Lastly, the adoptionof these technologies is also a complex process that is strongly influenced by the “absorption capacity” of theorganization (which depends on previous learning) and which often requires profound changes within thecompany, even though it can also yield significant benefits. [See Figure 3]However, all in all, the evidence shows that the problems of most small companies precede the adoptionof new technologies and are related to management and funding. As such, the need – clearly expressed in theworkshops carried out by the Council with agents of the National Innovation System – arises to employ models ofintegral support for innovation, that facilitate access to a continuum of solutions, which will not obtain fundingin the banking system 49 .The first task is to support the company (with significant contributions from the State) through an integraldiagnosis 50 and a general consultant that accompanies it during a limited period of time. Only then will it bepossible to progress to more specific support for each area, one of which can be technology or other innovativecomponents, even though in some cases the size of companies would make advisable the formation of consortia,which could take on this cost or the acquisition cost of larger equipment.48 “Soft” technologies include some that help firms to innovate, defining work methods, organizational structures or other managementformulas that foster creativity, the communication of ideas, learning and participation that supports innovation.49 The lack of collateral when requesting a loan for this type of requirement restricts the access of SMEs to the financial system. Thepresence of “moral hazard” type incentives inhibit the spontaneous development of mechanisms that correct this phenomenon throughcustomer portfolios, as occurs in personal banking.50 This diagnosis must be standardized, in order to make the creation of a market of consultants that implements this task costeffective.79
TOWARDS A NATIONAL INNOVATION STRATEGY FOR COMPETITIVENESSVOLUME 1As the process advances, it will be necessary for the company to increase the level of own-funding forthese services for it to also exercise an effective control of what is received 51 , to control the risk of creating asystem that fosters consultants that live off subsidies, and that do not produce specific results for companies.This requires the development of specific strategies that always keep the company as the main agent for thesubsidy, and not the consultant. This industry –in which there will be technology specialists 52 – must, in any case,have their competencies accredited as well as their performance evaluated through a certification system forthe company that received the support 53 . Then, the system should allow the consultant to obtain adequate gainsafter he acquires the specific knowledge, and keep that knowledge available for smaller companies..A relevant element when defining the explicit support for this level is that the technological extensioncan put the company (no matter its size) in the position of having to make the tough decision of introducing atechnology that destroys competencies, either personal or from supply industries. This not only leads to thethreat of a resistance to change, but also the challenge for the State of having a regulatory frameworkappropriate for quick job re-training (constant training is essential) and for the quick setting-up and closingdown of companies.HUMAN CAPITAL: QUALITY AND CONSTANT RENEWALChapter 1 has shown us that to successfully face the challenge of progressing in the Knowledge Economyand facing the threats of global competition, one of our main challenges lies in improving the quality of ourhuman capital. The challenge for Chile lies in injecting more resources into education, developing systems thatguarantee the quality and pertinence of those services and changing approaches with respect to objectives andmethods, at both a school level and in third-level education and job training.The consensus in this Council is that the great weakness of human capital in Chile today is the low level ofbasic competencies revealed by the PISA tests. We can add to this the indicators that show the lag of theInvestment in human capital forinnovation requires considering a singlesystem of education and training. Thisrequires ensuring access to third-leveleducation, favouring the development oftechnical education, and has the preconditionof ensuring the quality ofprimary and secondary education.51 This contributes to reducing the effect that as the complexity of the firm increases so too do the costs associated to an ever morespecialized consultancy work. This is especially the case with non-standardizable technology.52 Similar to the technological broker in terms of their functions, and the complications in generating a technological broker market andmaking it profitable.53 The State support for the consulting industry occurs through certification and the subsidy to demand given to the firm. The objectiveof the certification is to measure the work of the consultant in his/her task and the pertinence of the work done. There is also the riskof capture of the consultant by the technological suppliers, but that is an inherent problem of the provider, be it public or private.80
Page 6 and 7:
TOWARDS A NATIONAL INNOVATION STRAT
Page 11:
Page 17:
Page 23:
Page 26 and 27:
Page 28 and 29: TOWARDS A NATIONAL INNOVATION STRAT
Page 77: TOWARDS A NATIONAL INNOVATION STRAT
Page 103 and 104: also mean an uncomfortable position
Page 129 and 130:
Page 131 and 132:
Page 133 and 134:
Page 135 and 136:
Page 137 and 138:
Page 139 and 140:
Page 141 and 142:
Page 143 and 144:
Page 145 and 146:
Page 147 and 148:
Page 149 and 150:
Page 151 and 152:
Page 153 and 154:
Page 155 and 156:
Page 157 and 158:
Page 159:
show all

Libro Blanco Vol I en Ingles

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?